Former JIT head records statement with NAB Rawalpindi: sources

ISLAMABAD: Former Panama Papers case Joint Investigation Team head Wajid Zia appeared before the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Rawalpindi on Tuesday to record his statement in relation to the probe of Sharif family’s assets.

Zia, a Federal Investigation Agency Additional Director, headed the five-member JIT made on the Supreme Court’s orders to investigate the offshore properties of Sharifs. 

Sources said Zia appeared before the NAB Rawalpindi's combined investigation team as a witness. He was questioned by NAB officials and also returned a questionnaire that he had been sent by NAB officials.  

On Wednesday, Zia will appear before NAB Lahore, sources said further.

According to sources, the NAB (Lahore and Rawalpindi) will finalise the references against the Sharif family by August 31.

The references will be sent to the NAB headquarters, where the board will scrutinise them from Sept 1-7.

Sources informed that the suggested references do not contain the statements of Sharifs and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar.

The references, once finalised, will be submitted to the accountability court on September 8.

The NAB, on July 31, decided to file four references against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his three children, son-in-law and Dar. 

SECP submits record of Dar’s companies in NAB

The records are required as part of the bureau’s investigation into Dar’s assets in light of the Supreme Court’s Panama papers verdict

The references would be filed under orders from the Supreme Court as part of the July 28 Panama Papers case verdict which disqualified Nawaz from the office of prime minister. 

Members of Sharif family and Dar have challenged the apex court's verdict disqualifying Sharif and ordering corruption probes against them.